In the example shown, the formula in cell D6 is: When this formula is copied down column D, it multiplies the value in B6 by a number that starts with 1 and increments by one at each step. We want to start with 1, however, so we need to subtract 5, which yields 1. As the formula is copied down column D, ROW() keeps returning the current row number, and we keep subtracting 5 to “normalize” the result back to a 1-based scale: If you are copying a formula across columns, you can use COLUMN() function the same way. Note that you are free to use the result of COLUMN() or ROW() any way you like in the formula. Both functions return a number, so you can apply them in a formula them just like you would use any number.
Dave Bruns
Hi - I’m Dave Bruns, and I run Exceljet with my wife, Lisa. Our goal is to help you work faster in Excel. We create short videos, and clear examples of formulas, functions, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and charts.
